On 25 September 2025, the World Customs Organization (WCO) reported that around two-thirds of the 2 600 drug seizures in maritime shipping containers between 2023 and 2024 had been found to have some level of internal conspirator support within the supply chain. That is the standout fact from WCO’s report on infiltration of maritime cargo supply chains that set the stage for the global conference on ‘a collective response to safeguarding maritime supply chains from criminal threats’, held at the WCO in Brussels, Belgium.
To identify innovative mitigation strategies for this pervasive threat, the WCO’s Supply Chain Integrity Project collaborated with the World Shipping Council (WSC) and the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) to organise a conference bringing together over 70 stakeholders from the Customs and law enforcement community, governments and the maritime cargo industry to reinforce international cooperation in this highly dynamic domain.
The conference provided contemporary insights into the tactics employed by criminals to exploit vulnerabilities in legitimate maritime trade systems, facilitating the movement of illicit goods. Participants heard firsthand from representatives of Customs, exporters, ocean carriers and maritime port authorities about the measures they take to protect their staff, assets, operations, reputation and society as a whole. A presentation from the Smart Container Alliance provided an insight into modern smart security devices and their contributions to safe and secure containerised cargo movements. Additionally, the Asociatión de Exportadores de Banano del Ecuador (AEBE) gave a presentation on the farm-to-port security measures being taken by their members to protect banana shipments from narcotics contamination.
Panellists highlighted the need for all organisations, both in the government and private sectors, within the maritime supply chain, to recognise the significant threat that organised crime poses, regardless of their role, size, and location. They also emphasised the importance of collaboration and stressed that establishing a continuous dialogue between supply chain actors and law enforcement bodies across borders would enable parties to jointly learn from each other’s operations and needs, creating opportunities for improving their respective operational models.
Approaches to make such partnerships work and lessons learned from existing initiatives were presented. Multiple speakers emphasised the need for specific discussions between enforcement agencies and industry on the identification. They expedited the sharing of data that will bring additional value in targeting contaminated and compromised containers. Joint post-incident analysis and regular coordination meetings were mentioned as best practices for sharing information on emerging issues and concerns. On the theme of best practices, the conference also saw the WCO and IAPH publish their updated joint ‘Guidelines on Cooperation Between Customs and Port Authorities’, which included WSC input.
Ocean carriers, exporters, port representatives and the Federation of European Private Port Companies & Terminals (FEPORT) also discussed the limitations of some of the measures they are taking, such as staff protection, background checks, or termination procedures, and the need for government support to enhance their efficiency.
Participants were reminded that the WCO had recently adopted the ‘Guideline on Customs Responses to Industry Referrals’, which calls for a single point of contact in Customs agencies, timely feedback to referrers, and regular post-incident analysis. These are concrete steps that help convert referrals into learning and better prevention without compromising investigations or the efficient flow of commerce that is critical to our economies.
As a next step, the WCO invited participants to submit proposals or suggestions in line with the central and recurring conference theme of enhancing public-private partnerships and fostering resilient cargo supply chains through information and data exchange. The WCO’s Supply Chain Integrity Project will present a summary of the conference. Proposals must be received by the next WCO Enforcement Committee in March 2026, with a view to further enhancing the capacity of Customs administrations and deepening the collaboration with all stakeholders seeking to preserve the safety and security of the world’s increasingly vulnerable cargo supply chains.